Secrecy of Witness Considered

Sunday, May 16th, 1971

LOS ANGELES, May. 16 — A request by the prosecution to keep secret the identity of a key witness in the Shea-Hinman murder trial has been taken under submission by a Superior Court judge.

Judge Raymond Choate is expected to rule on the request tomorrow when pretrial motions resume at 9:30 a.m from condemned murderer Charles Manson and three co-defendants.

Manson and the others are charged in the 1969 slayings of Donald “Shorty” Shea 36, a Spahn ranchhand and Gary Hinman 34, Malibu musician. The prosecution on Friday called to the stand Juan Flynn, 27, and Barbara Hoyt, 20, who testified against Manson at the earlier Tate-LaBianca murder trial.

The pair told Judge Choate of threats against them by Manson’s family members. Dep. Dist. Attys. Burton Katz and Anthony Manzella claim that disclosure of the identity of the key witness may expose that witness to retaliation or intimidation.